Rod Stewart Hit with $3 Million Fine

Rod Stewart has been ordered to pay more than $3 million to a Las Vegas hotel-casino for a show he canceled in December 2000.

A federal judge ordered lawyers for the British rocker to repay the Rio, a division of Harrah’s Entertainment, the $2 million advance the singer received more than five years ago, plus an additional $1 million in interest charges and more than $150,000 in contempt-of-court charges and legal fees for information Stewart’s lawyers failed to provide prior to the trial, the Associated Press reports.

Stewart received the advance for a 2000 New Year’s weekend show he subsequently canceled because of throat surgery.

The “Maggie May” singer offered to reschedule his show, but attorneys for Harrah’s maintained that a clause in Stewart’s contract called for him to repay the advance if he was not able to perform. Stewart was unable to sing for nearly a year.

The repayment falls jointly on Stewart and his attorneys, AP reports. A lawyer for Harrah’s called the ruling “a long time coming” and “the right result.” Harrah’s also indicated it will seek additional monies for other attorney fees and court costs.

Attorneys for Stewart had no comment on the sanctions, but said they will appeal the ruling.